Field of the Invention
Some embodiments of the present application generally relate to stimulation of nerves with light. In particular, some embodiments of the present invention relate to nerve stimulation that affects nerve function(s) using light by inserting a light source intra-nasally until a desired position is reached and pulsing the light to quench, kindle or affect information transmission or the like of the desired nerve.
Background
Pain and other conditions associated with neuronal cells of the head are well known. One of the most common conditions associated with head neurons is the headache such as the migraine headache. Treatment of migraines has fallen into a number of different approach categories. Preventative treatment of migraines with medications has been extensively investigated. Typical medicinal treatments include antidepressants, anticonvulsants and antihypertensives. There have only been a few FDA approved medications for the prevention of migraines and all involve considerably serious side effects with their use. Treatment options for ongoing symptomatic pain have included opiate type drugs, caffeine, as well as most other types of anti-inflammatory drugs.
It has been estimated that there are more than 10 million people in the United States alone who either have an incomplete control of their migraines or have significant medicinal side effects from using current migraine medicines.
Because of the side effects associated with chemical treatments of these conditions, other conventional ways of the treatment of pain or neuronal related conditions have been developed. Examples of such conventional ways include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,514,168 and 6,450,170 both to Friedman, which discuss treatment of migraines using a pulsed light laser. The laser is applied to areas of intra-oral maxillary tenderness. A probe tip is placed in the mouth of the subject and positioned proximal to the tender area in the mouth. According to Friedman, until tenderness is detected, no treatment can occur.
Another illustration of conventional ways of treating migranes includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,318 to Ansarinia, which relates to simulation of the sphenopalatine ganglia, sphenopalatine nerve or vidian nerve by positioning an electrode on or proximate to these nerves and applying an electrical signal to treat an array of conditions associated with facial and head neurons.
Other conventional methods for treating neuronal-related head conditions include acupuncture, biofeedback treatment and chiropractic adjustments. While in some cases these approaches show some limited use, they all involve either very expensive or time consuming treatments and only produce limited results.
A wide array of medical conditions and associated pain that occur in addition to the various types of migraine and other headaches are all connected to neuronal activity in the head. In addition to the pain, other conditions include movement disorders, epilepsy, cerebrovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, sleep disorders, autonomic disorders, urinary bladder disorders, subnormal metabolic states, disorders of the musculature system and neuropsychiatric disorders to name a few. Mitigation or treatment of all these neuronal-connected conditions are still difficult and expensive in order to be successfully treated.
Thus, there is a need to provide effective and relatively inexpensive methods and systems for treatment of migraines and other types of headaches through stimulation that affects nerve function(s). Further, there is a need for methods and systems for treating pain and disorders associated with neuronal cells of the head, central nervous system, peripheral ganglia and nerves, etc. without the problems, side effects, or associated costs of prior treatment methods.